A Campfire Conversation

In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt took an unusual camping trip with a private citizen. His companion was pioneering conservationist John Muir, who was aghast at the mismanagement of the Yosemite Valley and desperate for the government to protect the land. Both men shared a lifelong appreciation for the wilderness and its natural inhabitants, but each brought different views on how, why, and to what extent that environment should be protected. The conversation, however, was revelatory, and led to a significant outcome for Yosemite. What did the men discuss? How did the conversation shape National Park history? Students will use National Parks video and print resources, plus additional resources if they wish, to write their own version of what these figures said in their famous campfire conversation.

Objectives: Students will be able to: 

• Describe the conflicting interests in the Yosemite Valley;
• Identify key elements of the conservationists beliefs of John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt;
• Create a dialogue using facts and essential quotations from key historical figures;
• Analyze the ways that a small action can have a significant effect.